Animal Industries Resource Centre

Meet the Team at
Animal Industries Resource Centre

We know the value of an exceptional team. We know that we deliver industry training and consulting services second to none and that our team is the secret. Our promise is to take you to where you want to be, to help you identify the best way to get there and simply, to practice what we preach.

The Animal Industries Resource Centre is proud to have on board Veterinarians and Veterinary Nurses who have excelled in the veterinary profession and are committed to passing on their wealth of experience and knowledge. Many of the team fulfil the roles of assessors, tutors, workshop co-ordinators, career advisors, job counsellors and professional colleagues. We have a team that excel in a range of areas, that will help you in your quest to further your skills and knowledge.

Mark Hardwick General Manager | CCG Consultant

Mark has spent the last 15 years in the veterinary industry as a trainer and consultant. A founding Director of AIRC/CCG, his passion is to work with practice owners to build business. Mark specialises in veterinary practice auditing and coaching, in particular, operational efficiencies, strategic planning and financial management. Mark's no-nonsense approach to creating practice profitability sees him in demand as a coach and mentor. Mark is also the General Manager of AIRC/CCG.

Sue Crampton Business Manager | Lead CCG Consultant

Sue Crampton is acknowledged as a leading speaker, trainer and consultant across Australasia in the areas of practice and organisational development, strategic planning, communication excellence, staff development and management. Sue has a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Human Resources and Marketing, as well as her Diploma in Company Directorship (GAICD) and a Masters in Neuro Linguistic Programming. Sue invests time working as the Director of Education, Learning, Development and Consulting with Provet / Crampton Consulting Group and Animal Industries Resource Centre, while maintaining a weekend role as a veterinary nurse at a quality mixed practice in Brisbane.

Sue has a practical hands-on approach and brings with her a wealth of both corporate and small business skills, having been the founder of the much respected AIRC and CCG. Sue commenced her career in the UK as a veterinary nurse in 1982 and has gained invaluable global veterinary knowledge having also worked in the USA, Hong Kong and frequently visits countries such as NZ, UAE and Taiwan to lecture, coach, train educate and consult.

Tania Small International Operations Manager | Consultant

Tania, our International Operations Manager, spent the past three years based in Hong Kong overseeing the company’s Asian portfolio. Continuing in this role, Tania’s responsibilities include project management, business development, client relations and international student co-ordination. In addition, Tania is also the coordinator for the Certificate IV in Frontline Management course provided by AIRC.

Tania has worked for AIRC/CCG for the last ten years and was employed as a qualified veterinary nurse in various sectors of the animal care industry for the eight years prior. Being passionate about not only the animal care industry, but also the people working in it, Tania also holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in human resources and organisational psychology. She is also an accredited DISC consultant and qualified workplace trainer and assessor.

Mik O’Leary Technical Online Development

Mik graduated from University of Queensland in 1980 and spent 25 years in small animal veterinary practice. Most of this was spent at a major small animal hospital in Hobart though he has practiced in most states of Australia as well as a year working in the UK. He has a keen interest in surgery and particularly enjoys the challenges of orthopaedics.

After many years in full-time practice and part-time mentor to veterinary nurses, Mik crossed over to work as a full-time veterinary nurse trainer and part-time veterinarian. Mik now designs and delivers all AIRC/CCG online programs including ProSkills, website management and educational webinars and videos. Mik loves to travel at any opportunity and is an avid photographer.

Tracy Woodland RTO Operations and Training Supervisor

Tracy has been working for the AIRC for over 10 years, having come from a strong training and education background in the UK. As the RTO Operations and Training Supervisor, Tracy manages a team of administration coordinators, student support coordinators, external assessors and contractors to deliver exceptional veterinary nursing and management qualifications across Australasia. Tracy also oversees maintainence of the RTO’s compliance requirements to a high and practical level across the business and co-ordinates with internal and external stakeholders.

In her private life Tracy has a poodle x bichon Oscar who accompanies her to work on a Tuesday and Thursday and a British Shorthair called Poppy.

Esther Boon Student Support Team Leader

Esther joined the AIRC team in March 2012, after working as a Veterinary Nurse for 10 years. Esther spent 9 years working in Brisbane as a Veterinary Nurse, but started out her nursing career in a Bird and Cat Hospital in Oregon, USA. Esther is a past student of the AIRC, graduating with her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2007. Esther has since completed her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Esther would love to see all Veterinary Nurses meeting their absolute full potential and aims to instil a passion for developing their nursing skills and upholding the highest of standards of care.

Esther is the resident 'bird lady' and owns two Alexandrine Parrots - Chai and Leo. She enjoys baking, motorsport, painting and dancing.

Jasmine Feeney Personal Training Consultant, ACT and Sth. NSW

Jasmine began working as a Junior Veterinary Nurse in a mixed practice on the mid north coast of NSW which resulted in a passion for veterinary nursing. In January 2000 she moved to Sydney to begin studying for her Certificate in veterinary nursing and worked in a cat only practice for 1 year. She then had the opportunity to join the referral medicine team at the Sydney University Teaching Hospital at the end of 2000, completing her Certificate IV in veterinary nursing in 2002 and an advanced certificate IV in critical care and emergency nursing in 2003. Jasmine was the head of nursing at Sydney University Teaching Hospital for 5 years and has recently moved to Canberra where she is the nursing manager in a small animal practice.

Jasmine is a personal training consultant for the Animal Industries Resource Centre for students in the ACT and Southern NSW areas. She obtained accreditation through the VNCA in January 2006, a Diploma in Critical Care and Emergency Nursing in 2007 and has a special interest in intensive care nursing and oncology.

Carole Harvey-Stevenson Technical Advisor and Special Projects

Carole has worked with the AIRC since 2001 as the resident technical advisor. Carole’s role involves developing on-line course materials, presenting workshops, webinars and in-practice training. Carole also lectures on a variety of in-depth topics throughout Australia and overseas. Carole has her UK nursing qualification as well as an Australian Diploma in Emergency and Critical Care. Her greatest achievement was obtaining the Veterinary Technician Specialist qualification in Emergency and Critical Care from the United States (the first person in Australia).

Carole still remains hands-on in the industry working at the Brisbane Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Centre. Any spare time is taken up by her two cats; Kitt-the-Kat and Filbert the Hoon!

Jo Hatcher Personal Training Consultant, SA & TAS

Jo is an Accredited Veterinary Nurse who works at the Gawler Animal Hospital in South Australia and as a trainer and assessor for Veterinary Nursing students with the Animal Industries Resource Centre. She enjoys both the challenges of working in practice, especially in emergency and medical nursing and is also very passionate about the training of Veterinary Nurses in the knowledge and skills required to ensure the highest levels of veterinary care is provided in practice. Jo has worked in a variety of small animal practices as a general practice nurse and as a practice manager. With a great passion for the profession and raising the status of veterinary Nurses in Australia, Jo is an active member of the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia (VNCA) and currently sits on the board as the Immediate Past president and CPD committee chair. Becoming a life member of the VNCA in 2016 was a great career highlight and she is keen to one day see registration of Veterinary Nurses Australia wide.

Karen Holman Personal Training Consultant

Karen started at the AIRC in February 2013 and has 15 years experience as a Veterinary Nurse in general practice. She is a Certifcate IV Veterinary Nurse and has the Certifcate IV in Training and Assessment. Her main interests are small animal medicine and surgical nursing. Karen works casually on weekends in a busy clinic, to keep her nursing skills up to date.

In her spare time, Karen is currently renovating her house with her husband and keeping busy with her 3 year old son. She also enjoys movies, rock climbing, wine and traveling.

Audrey Martin Enrolments Officer

Audrey is the AIRC's Enrolments and Traineeships Officer. Audrey has a strong background in education, having worked in school and university adiministration. Audrey holds a Certificate IV in Business Administration and is passionate about learning new things. She enjoys seeing students reach their potential and complete their training, indeed issuing certificates is the best part of the job! She has two Great Danes, Conan and Pepper who both think they are lapdogs.

Andrew Thompson Personal Training Consultant

Andrew joined the AIRC team in February 2015 after spending the 13 years prior as a Veterinary Nurse in a number of clinics in Brisbane. He has worked both in General Practice and an Emergency and Critical Care Hospital and Bird and Exotics Specialist with a stint in a Pet Crematorium as well. He spent a number of years on both the QLD and National VNCA committees with 2 years spent as VNCA QLD President. He holds a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, Diploma in Counselling and is currently completing a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

Andrew shares his life with his partner, 2 cats Marshall and Sirius, Chihuahua Deja, Bearded Dragon Charlie and White Ringneck Dove Turtle. He has an interest in mental health and volunteers as a telephone counsellor outside of work hours and is currently exploring Yoga and Mindfulness.

Helen Power Senior Personal Training Consultant, NSW, NT & WA

Helen has been involved in veterinary nursing since 1982. Her qualification in 1984 has been continually upgraded to ensure currency. Helen is recognised as an accredited Veterinary Nurse. She has been continually employed in small animal practice and currently works in small animal practice with her on the mid north coast of NSW. Helen has worked for AIRC & Crampton Consulting Group since 2001. Her main roles are as a Workplace Trainer & Assessor with responsibility for approximately 150 veterinary Nurse students throughout Australia and presenter for CCG practice training.

Helen is actively involved with industry groups being a current board member of the VNCA national committee, treasurer for VNCA NSW division, committee member of the National Industry Advisory Group for Veterinary Nursing and represents Veterinary nurses on the Agrifoods NSW Advisory Board. Her main interests are the VNCA national conference and promoting the value of qualified Veterinary Nurses.

Her interests include red wine, good food and baking. She shares her lounge with a 36kg lap dog, Tank the gorgeous Boxer dog.

Jane Roberts Student Support Coordinator

Jane has worked for the AIRC for 8 years as a work place trainer, assessor and student coordinator. Jane hopes to pass on her knowledge and experience to up and coming nurses whilst following another path in her veterinary nursing career. Jane qualified as a veterinary nurse in the UK and came to Australia in September 1999 to further her career. Since arriving in Australia she has completed her Diploma in Surgical Nursing and has extensive experience in Emergency and Critical Care nursing.

Jane also keeps her finger on the pulse and still has shifts in one of Brisbane's busy Emergency and Critical Care Clinics. Needless to say working in clinic Jane has acquired an extensive family as all veterinary nurses have a tendency to do! Pimple, Squamous and Mole are stray cat's rescued from work and she also has 4 crazy chickens. Jane likes to spend time with her husband and 2 gorgeous little boys enjoying the outdoors and experiencing all that life has to offer.

Jodie Stuart Student Support Team Leader

Jodie joined the AIRC team in 2011 as a regional training Coordinator but now works in the operational side of the school after 17 years' experience in the companion animal industry. She has a background in pet store management, animal adpotion programs and animal beahviour and enrichment. Jodie holds a Certificate IV in Companion Animal Serivces in which she achieved through the AIRC in 2010 and later went on to get her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and certificate IV in frontline Management. Jodie's passion is with cats, pocket pets and wildlife.

Jodie has 2 cats, Lexi and Mia. In her spare time, Jodie has a keen interest in wildlife, bushwalking, animal photography and is strongly involved in fostering animals, espeically cats, kittens, puppies and mum and bub fosters. She likes the challenge of rehabilitating foster animals with behavioural issues through positive reinforcement and enrichment strategies to improve their chances of successful adoption.

Taylor Mothershaw Personal Training Consultant

Taylor has been working for AIRC since November 2016. Originally Taylor started as a student in 2011 enrolling into the Certificate II in Animal Studies and then going onto complete her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2015. Although Taylor has mainly worked in Small Animal Practice, she has also volunteered as a Veterinary Nurse in Namibia, Africa looking after a wide variety of animals such as cheetahs, meerkats, baboons, vervets, warthogs and many more.

Since starting with AIRC, Taylor has since completed her Training and Assessing Skills set and is now one of our Queensland trainers that visits and assesses our Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing students.

Cherry Lui Personal Training Consultant, Hong Kong

Cherry has worked in the veterinary industry for over 10 years and has experience in many different roles including; veterinary nurse, hospital supervisor and practice manager. As a result of having worked in both small animal and exotics clinics throughout Hong Kong, Cherry developed an interest in exotics. Cherry joined the AIRC in 2012 and particularly enjoys being able to organise and attend the annual event for the graduating Hong Kong students. In addition to her role with AIRC, she still works in practice 1-2 days per week to keep her nursing skills current.

Nichola Spooner Student Support - Assessment Coordinator

Nic graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (first class honours) from the University of Queensland in 2001. She completed a small animal rotating internship at Queensland Veterinary Specialists in 2004 and obtained her membership of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Emergency Medicine and Critical Care in 2005. Nic is now a holistic vet who practices integrative medicine and is completing her Graduate Diplomas in Western Veterinary Herbal Medicine and Veterinary Acupuncture and has a special interest in holistic nutrition. Nic has mentored Veterinary Nurses for many years and now enjoys training and assessing and is passionate about veterinary education. She obtained her Certificate IV TAE in 2014 and finds continuous development course work very rewarding. Having grown up on a cattle property in Central Queensland, Nic now lives on the beautiful Capricorn Coast with her three children, kelpie, cat and two pampered sussex hens.